Category: End of Life Support

Software that has reached the end of its support lifespan and needs to be upgraded. Or the software may not have an option to upgrade because the software has changed too dramatically or has been discontinued and now it needs to be re-platformed or moved to a different solution entirely.

Meet TxMQ Senior IBM Db2 for z/OS Consultant Sheryl M. Larsen

Posted on | by jharmon
TxMQ Senior Db2 On zOS Consultant Sheryl M. Larsen

Sheryl M. Larsen has led an impressive career as a Db2 consultant and educator in her thirty-six years working in the technology consulting industry. In 2013, she was named World Wide Db2 Evangelist by IBM.

A former IBM Gold Consultant, IDUG hall of fame speaker and noted industry author, Sheryl has helped numerous clients optimize Db2 database performance, delivered countless presentations at industry events, written many articles featured in well-known technology publications, and co-authored the book “DB2 Answers! Certified Tech Support” published by McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media.

As the Senior Db2 for z/OS Consultant at TxMQ, Sheryl plays a major role in expanding our Db2 on z/OS offering portfolio. Through her commitment to this role, she has helped TxMQ improve its ability to help clients and partners optimize the role of Db2 on z/OS in technology infrastructures across numerous industries.

Before joining the TxMQ team, Sheryl was a Worldwide Db2 Z Solutions Sales Consultant at BMC Software from 2015 – 2021.

TxMQ’s IBM MQ Custom Docker Image and Helm Chart

Posted on | by jharmon

Use TxMQ’s proprietary custom MQ Docker image and Helm chart for containerized MQ deployments in any cloud architecture.

TxMQ has developed a custom IBM MQ™ Docker image and Helm chart to address needs for containerized MQ deployments. Options include Kubernetes and Docker Compose, available for deployment in any Public Cloud or On-Premises environment. The solution supports the adoption of best practices when working with MQ. 

TxMQ’s custom image is designed for organizations who run Kubernetes clusters and use Helm for workload deployments, or who want to run the same MQ image in a Docker environment with Docker compose. 

  • Open Source, available under the MIT license. 
  • Supports Standalone and Multi-Instance High Availability deployments on Kubernetes clusters and with Docker on Docker compose.
  • Integrated with LDAP authentication and includes an LDAP server image. 
  • Imports cryptographic material for the Queue Manager and the web console
  • Applies MQ customizations and startup commands from the input volume and from a Git repository.

TxMQ’s custom container image simplifies development and administration of IBM MQ™. It supports MQ object configuration and includes starter projects to accelerate MQ adoption. MQ Objects can be easily tracked via source control and deployed instantly using Git.

TxMQ makes the custom image available to IBM MQ™ customers in a private repository. Support options are available from TxMQ. Please contact us today to get started! mqcustomcontainer@txmq.com

IBM MQ v9.2 Release Update

Posted on | by admin

Great news MQ Users! IBM has just released the new IBM MQ v9.2 and it’s ready for download.

The new version has many features that continue to make IBM MQ the industry leader for messaging middleware software. MQ v9.2 is the follow-on long-term support release (LTSR) to MQ v9.1. With the LTSR release, fix packs will only provide fixes that include no new functions. MQ v9.2 includes the features that were delivered in the CD releases of MQ versions v9.1.1 to v9.1.5, along with some minor enhancements. The capabilities being incorporated into MQ v9.2 from previous MQ v9.1.x CD releases and those that are new in MQ v9.2 are detailed in the Description section. For more information, see the IBM MQ FAQ for Long Term Support and Continuous Delivery releases website.

This release encompasses all versions of MQ including the MQ Appliance and MQ on Cloud. Below we’ve outlined a few of the new enhancements included in the release.

MQ v9.2 includes enhancements in the following areas:

  • Simplified, smart management
  • Augmented security
  • Expanded client application options
  • Easier adoption of containers
  • More flexible design and deployment

*For more info on the new release view the IBM MQ 9.2 release document here.

*Find out more about what’s new in Version 9.2.0

*Find out what’s changed in Version 9.2.0

Extended Support for your IBM MQ 

Keep in mind that although IBM has extended support for IBM MQ v8.x through September 30th, now’s the time to get your plans in order. If you need help determining an upgrade path or choosing the right option for End Of Service or End Of Life Support for your out of date software, contact TxMQ for a free discovery call.

If you’re interested in learning more about how TxMQ can help support your MQ, take a closer look at some of our services on our IBM MQ and WebSphere Support page.

Feel free to reach out anytime through the form below, we’d love to help you take the next steps towards upgrading your IBM MQ, or assist in choosing your best support options.

 

IBM MQ v8.x End of Support Options

Posted on | by Jeff Eveland

Are you still running IBM MQ v8.0.x (or alternately, an even earlier build)?  

IBM has announced as of April 30th, 2020 it will end of support for IBM MQ v8.0.x. If you are still using that version it’s recommended that you upgrade to v9.1 to avoid any potential security issues that may occur in earlier, unsupported versions of MQ. 
MQ v9.1 Highlights: 

  • IBM MQ Console
  • The administrative REST API
  • The messaging REST API
  • Improvements in error logging 
  • Connectivity to Salesforce with IBM MQ Bridge to Salesforce
  • Connectivity to Blockchain 

What are your plans for IBM MQ?

I plan to upgrade:
It’s never too late to start planning your upgrade and upgrading to IBM MQ’s newest v9.1 is a great option. There are great new features that help you manage costs better, improve efficiency, and manageability. 
Take a closer look here at some of the enhancements.  
If you are still considering your plans, now’s a great time to speak with our SME Integration Upgrade Team. Reach out to us today to set up a free Discovery Session or contact us directly for any questions. 

I would like to continue to use v8.0.x (or earlier versions):

It’s ok if you’re not ready for the newest version of MQ just yet. However, it’s important to remember that without support you may not be protected against avoidable security risks and additional support costs. IBM does offer Extended Premium support but be prepared, that option will be very expensive. 
Alternatively, as an IBM Business Partner TxMQ offers expert support options. As a business partner, we have highly specialized skills in IBM software. We can help guide you through issues that may arise at a fraction of the cost with the added benefit of flexibility in services. Check out more on TxMQ’s Extended Support Page. (http://txmq.com/end-life-software-support/)

I will support it internally: 

If you have an amazing internal team inhouse, odds are they don’t have much time to spare. Putting the gravity of a big project on your internal team can cut into their productivity. For many organizations, this will limit a team’s ability to focus on innovation and improving customer experience. This will make your competitors happy but your customers and clients definitely won’t be. 
Utilizing a trusted partner like TxMQ can help cut costs and give back some time to your internal team to focus on improvements and not just break/fix maintenance. Reach out to our team and learn how we can help maintain your existing legacy applications and platforms so your star team can focus on innovation again. Reach out and ask how we can help today. 

I don’t know, I still need help!

Reach out to TxMQ today and schedule a free Discovery Session to learn what your best options are! TxMQ.com/Contact/

IBM Db2 v10.5 End of Support: April 30, 2020

Posted on | by Jeff Eveland

Are you still running IBM Db2 v10.5 (or alternately, an even earlier build)?

IBM has announced an end of support date on Db2 v10.5 for Linux, Unix, and Windows. If you are still using that version it’s recommended that you upgrade to v11.1 to avoid any potential security issues that may occur in earlier, unsupported versions of Db2. 
Db2 v11.1 Highlights:

  • Column-organized table support for partitioned database environments
  • Advances to column-organized tables
  • Enterprise encryption key management
  • IBM Db2 purScale Feature enhancements 
  • Improved manageability and performance
  • Enhanced upgrade performance from earlier versions 

What are your plans for DB2?

I plan to upgrade:

It’s never too late to start planning your upgrade and upgrading to IBM Db2’s newest v11.1 is a great option. There are great new features that help you manage costs better, improve efficiency, and manageability. 
Take a closer look here at some of the enhancements.  
If you are still considering your plans, now’s a great time to speak with our SME Integration Upgrade Team. Reach out to us today to set up a free Discovery Session or contact us directly for any questions. 

I would like to continue to use v10.5 (or earlier versions):

It’s ok if you’re not ready for the newest version of Db2 just yet. However, it’s important to remember that without support you may not be protected against avoidable security risks and additional support costs. IBM does offer Extended Premium support but be prepared, that option will be very expensive. 
Alternatively, as an IBM Business Partner TxMQ offers expert support options. As a business partner, we have highly specialized skills in IBM software. We can help guide you through issues that may arise at a fraction of the cost with the added benefit of flexibility in services. Check out more on TxMQ’s Extended Support Page.

I will support it internally:

If you have an amazing internal team inhouse, odds are they don’t have much time to spare. Putting the gravity of a big project on your internal team can cut into their productivity. For many organizations, this will limit a team’s ability to focus on innovation and improving customer experience. This will make your competitors happy but your customers and clients definitely won’t be. 
Utilizing a trusted partner like TxMQ can help cut costs and give back some time to your internal team to focus on improvements and not just break/fix maintenance. Reach out to our team and learn how we can help maintain your existing legacy applications and platforms so your star team can focus on innovation again. Reach out and ask how we can help today.

I don’t know, I still need help!

Reach out to TxMQ today and schedule a free Discovery Session to learn what your best options are! TxMQ.com/Contact/

Upgrading For Federal Reserve Bank MQ Integration

Posted on | by admin

For financial institutions using WebSphere MQ V6.x or older to communicate with the Federal Reserve Bank, your time is running out… and fast. WebSphere MQ V6.x went End of Support on September 30th, 2012 and the Federal Reserve Bank is requiring upgrades to a current, supported version.

WebSphere MQ V7.0.0 and V7.0.1 went End of Support at the end of September 2015. For those of you wondering about WebSphere MQ V7.1, you might want to reconsider. While still technically supported by IBM, V7.1 is likely looking at another upgrade within the next 18 to 24 months.
From a business perspective, I recommend financial institutions upgrade to IBM MQ V8.x. At the very least, you could consider MQ V7.5.x.

IBM MQ V8.x, rebranded from WebSphere MQ is now full equipped with fix pack 3 and has proven to be very stable.

Further, MQ V7.5.0.5 and MQ V8.0.0.3, have deprecated SSLv3 connections due to the Poodle Exploit and reduced the number of supported Cipher Suites. (It is critical you understand the supported connection protocols and Cipher Suites supported by the Federal Reserve Bank.)
But MQ upgrades are only half the story.

If you haven’t been keeping pace with MQ updates, you’ve likely not been keeping pace with OS either. OS updates to supported versions are arguably equally as critical as MQ.

Interested in learning more about your options? Let’s start a conversation. Reach out to TxMQ today.